Cooling system



Nov. 22, 1927.`

H. A. STEINMEYER ET AL cooLnxe svs'rmh Filed July 21. 1925 4 sneets-sneet 1 Nov. 1927.`

H3A. STEINMEYER ET AL COOLING SYSTEM Filed July 21, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2- Nov. 22, 1927.

H. A. s'rElNMEYER E1' AL COOLING SYSTEM Filed July 21, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 22, 1927.

H. A. STEINMEYER El' AL 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 22, 1927.

ITD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY A. STEINMEYER AND JOHN I-I. VOSS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COOLING SYSTEM.

Application filed .Tuly 21, 1925.

The invention relates to vacuum systems and has for its main object to utilize a vacuum for the purpose of providing cooled, filtered and washed air in dining rooms, bed rooms or any ot-her room of a dwelling or residence. in any room of a hotel or the like, 1n factories, railway coaches, Pullman-cars, or the like. In fact, the system. according to the present invention, may be used in any closed space wherever fresh, clean, cool air is desired. l

A further object of the invention is to provide a place for storing vegetables and other perishable food stuffs without using either ice or any of the usual means for creating a cool or cold atmosphere, such as gas, ammonia, etc.

The store-room may be a room in a house, residence, hotel or the like, or may be a cabinet similar to au ice-box or refrigerator. The latter form may be used to an advantage in flats or the like, and in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this present application this form is shown as an example only, it being understood that other modifications may be used and alterations may be made, and the right is herein reserved to make such alterations and changes as fall properly in the scope of the appended claims defining the invention.

The drawings represent one embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a front elevation of the cooling device in the form of a refrigerator;`

Fig. 2 is au end view thereof:

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 1 on a. larger scale. the front wall boing removed aud certain parts being broken away;

Fig. 4- is a verticalsection approximately on the line 1*4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section substantially ou liuc SM5 of Fig- 2%;

Fig. ii is a l'raguu-uiary scf-tional view of the vacuum sparo containing the coil und the vacuum cells;

Fig. 7 is a vcrir-al detail section through the. ejector;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section through the intake valve for the air;

Fig. 9 is a vertical ser-.tion through the outlet valve for the cooled and washed air;

"liZed to purify the air.

Serial No. 45,144.

Fig. 10 is avertical section through the vacuum tank provided for cleaning purposes Fig. 11 is a vertical section through an.

outlet fixture for cooled and washed air.

The cooling device can be made in many different designsand modifications ranging from plainest and simplest to the nest and most elaborate designs and workmanship, but the principle of the apparatus consisting in extracting heat units out of the free air, transferring the low temperature produced thereby to the water cleaning the air and leading this cool purified air into the desired room always remains the same.

The path through which the air to be treated is conducted remainsalso always the same, as well as the treatment which the air undergoes while being led through said path. The free air is moistened.` The moistened air will be brought very rapidly to a temperature of between and 40 Fahrenheit while being conducted through a cooling coil. This temperature will aifect the water contained in the apparatus and uti- The air is then conducted to any desired room furnishing a cool, clean and agreeable ventilation.

At the same time the foodstuffs contained in the space designated therefor will be kept at a temperature of 50 to 40 Fahrenheit and will be surrounded by a vacuum. The space containing the foodstuii's does not need to be cooled by ice, because it is always surrounded by the cooled air.

In order to produce the apparatus at the lowest possible cost it must be made as light as possible. At the` same time it must be strong enough to be able to resist the pressure exerted by the atmosphere upon creating the vacuum in the food container.

The food container l5 may be of any de- Iaired and suitable construction.

Adjacent the front edge of the side, top and bottom walls ofthe container angle irons 18 are provided which carry a soft rubber strip 19 surrounding the whole door opening of the container. A door 20 is hinged at 21 to the outer casing or cabinet 22. The container 16 is fastened to the cabinet in any convenient manner by any suitable means (not shown). The door carries a lock with the bolts whereof it may be pressed tightly against the rubber. strip box 38 and the inner surfaces of the cabinet In the space between the box and the container vacuum cells 40 are arranged. Three vacuum cells are provided, one in each of the spaces at the sides of the container ,and oney in the space in the rear thereof. Each vacuum `cell is traversed bya plurality of pipes 41-and 42 whichserve as stileners, so that the vacuum cell which is made of sheet metal will not collapse 'when the vacuum is created in the cells. These cells are interconnected adjacent the tops and bottoms thereof by means of the narrow but high ipes 43.

At oth sides of the vacuum cells cooling` pipe systems 44 are disposed. Each system consists of a plurality of pipes 45 of comparatively great diameter and a plurality of pipes 46 of comparatively small diameter.I The pipes of each system are arranged in such manner that' a large diameter pipe alternates witha small diameter pipe. The pipes of each lsystem are interconnected to form a coil, as' clearly shown in Fig. 4. The coils are so arranged that the pipes adjacent the vacuum cells will be ofcomparatively small diameter and will be connected with the adjacent greater pipe at the top thereof. The two small pipes adjacent each vacuum cell are connected at their lower ends by means of a perforated pipe portion 47 penetrating the adjacent vacuum cell.

The space between the walls of the metal box 38 and the container 15 for the foodstuf is filled with water up to the water mark 48 (Fig. 2). In order to facilitate the observation of the water level a water gauge 49 is provided.

An electrometerl 50 is arranged in the lower portion of the cabinet 22 underneath the container and the box surrounding the same. It is, however, to be noted, that the motor may be positioned at any convenient placefas longl assit is in driving relation with a pump.

At oneside (left hand inkF ig. 3) the walls 16 and 38 of the food container and the .box extend downwardly beyond .the bottoms'of the said elements and form a chamber 52 which is the lowest portion of the water chamber receiving tHe lvacuum cells and the coollng pipe'systems. .In order to lill the water chamber a funnel 53 containing a lilter screen 54 is provided and a cock 55 servesvto drain the chamber, when it is desired to change the water therein.. It is, however, to

food container.` The'water .will be forced with great velocity through the ejector and will thereby exhaust the air in the vacuum cell. The adjacent cooling coils extend,'as stated above, through the vacuumk cell with the perforatedpipe portion 47. This pipe portion is covered by water and the suction of the ejector will cause the air in the coil and some of the water to follow the upwardly directed current of water in pipe 57. The top of this pipe is covered by a perforated plate 59 through the perforations whereof the mixture of air and water will be ejected. As also stated above, all vacuum Cells 40 are interconnected by means of the fiat pipes 43. so that the action of the one ejector 58 will affect all vacuum cells and all cooling coils. By means of the suction created by the ejector in the coils fresh air will be drawn into the coils and the path for this free air is as follows:

Outside of the house an outside air intake 60 is provided in any suitable place. From there a pipe 61 leads to an air intake valve 62 on the cabinet, and the pipe 63 leads to the fresh air distributor 64. This distributor is connected with the cooling systems by means of the connecting pipes 65. From the pump 51 the usual vent pipe 66 leads to the distributor and is used in this case to conduct water to the distributor into which the vent pipe reaches with a perforated pipe portion 67. A sponge 68 may be inserted in .the distributor in order to retain some of the moisture.

A pipe 70 for cool air leads from the container to the outside of the cabinet and connects there With an outlet valve 71. From there the cool air passes through a distributing pipe 72 vwhich may lead to the different rooms of the house which are intended to be cooled, and in each room will be provided a branch pipe 73 leading to the .cooling lixtu're `74. The intake valve 62 and the outlet valve 71are connected by means of a connecting pipe 75 which terminates in an o ening 76 in the valve 62, and the opening 7 in the valve 71. The intake valve has a valve cone 79 which is pressed on its seat by a `spring 78. The tension of this spring may be adjusted by means of an adjust-able screw 80. The outlet valve is constructed similarly, but it has an upper valve cone 81 and the lower valve cone 8 2. The upper valve conc `is pressed onto its seat by the spring 83, and

the lower one by a spring 84. The 'last named spring rests in a bore of an adjusting cap 85, and on the top of thel valve a screw 86 is provided which limits the receding movement of the cone valve 81. The connection between the two valves serves the following purpose: If too much cold air should pass through the outlet pipe 70, the pressure on the valve cone 8l will be transferred by means of the spring 83 to the valve cone 82 so that the last 'named valve cone will be unseated and the cold air which is not intended for direct use may then pass through the opening 77 in the ,valve 71, through the connecting pipe 7 5 backmto the end intake valve 61.

The cooling fixture 74 consists of a bowl 87 which is fastened to a spiral 88. The cold air will enter the bowl by means of the e 73 and will then be directed by the walls of the bowl upwardly and will pass between an inside and outside hollow cone Y89 and 90 respectively, and will be directed thereby into the room.

We claim:

1. ln a device of the class described, a food container, a box surrounding the same and spaced therefrom, vacuum cells and cooling coils arranged in groups in the space between the boX and the container, each group consisting Wof a vacuum cell and a plurality of cooling coils, the coils of each group communicating with the cell of the same group and the cells of all groups communicating with each other, the space between the box and the container being filled with water surrounding the coils and the container and entering the vacuum cells, an

kair inlet, the cooling coils'being connected thereto, a pump, va suction pipe on lsaid pump communicating with the water filled Space, a discharge pipe in said pump and an ejector in said discharge pipe and having communication with one of the vacuum cells.

2. In a device of the class described, a food container, a box surrounding the same and spaced therefrom, vacuum cells and cooling coils arranged in groups in the space between the box and theA container, each group consisting of a vacuum cell and a plurality of cooling coils, the coils of each group communicating with the cell of the same group and the cells of all groups communicating with each` other, the space between the box and the container being filled with Water surrounding the coils and the `container and entering the vacuum cells, an

air duct, an air moistening device, the air duct communicating at one end with the atmosphere and at the other end with the air moistening device, all cooling coils communicating with said device, a pump, a suction member on said pump and in com- -munication with the water filled space, a

discharge member on said pump extending upwardly therefrom and ending above .the water level in the water filled space, a pei forated closure on this end of the discharge member, an ejector in the discharge member and in conn'nunication with onev of the vacuum cells and a connection between the pump and the air moistening device adapted to deliver wat-er from the pump to said device.

3. In a device of the class described, a food container, a. box surrounding the same and spaced therefrom, vacuum -cells and cooling coils arranged in groups in the space between the box and the container, each group consisting of a vacuum cell and a plurality of cooling coils, the cooling coils of each communicating with the vacuum cell ot' the same group and the cells of all groups communicating with each other, the space between the box and the container being filled with water surrounding the coils and the container and entering the vacuum cells, an air duct, an air moistening device, the

-air duct communicating at one end with the atmosphere and at the other end with the air moistening device, all cooling coils communicating with said device, a pump, a suction member on said pump and in communication with the water filled space, a discharge member on the pump and extending upwardly therefrom and ending above the water level in the water filled space, a perforated closure on this end of the `discharge member, an ejector in the discharge member and communicating with one of the vacuum cells, a connection between th-e pump and the air moistening device adapted to deliver water from the pump to said device, and a check valve inserted in the air duct adapted to be opened by the suction created by the ejector and affecting the vacuum cells, the space between the box and the container, the cooling pipes, the air moistening device and the air duct, said valve permitting upon being opened fresh air to be forced along the path through said parts.

ll. In a device of the class described, a food container, a box surrounding the same and spaced therefrom, vacuum cells and cooling coils ,in the space between the box and the container and arranged in groups consisting each of a vacuum cell and a plurality of cooling coils, the coils of each group communicating with the cell of the same group and the cells of all groups communieating with each other, the space between the box and the container being filled with water, an air inlet pipe, an air moistening device, said inlet pipe communicating at one end with the atmosphere and at the other end with the air moistening device, all cooling coils being in communication with said device, a pump, a Suction member in said pump and communicating with the water filled space, a discharge member on saidv` pump, an ejector in said discharge member and communicating with one of the vacuum cells, a check valve in the air'inlet pipe and adapted to be opened by the action of the e]ector, and an air discharge pipe leading from the space between the box and the con- 

